Family
by BaranoShiko
Summary: Kakashi finds that his new team holds more suprises then he first thought. But Kakashi doesn't like not knowing. So he decides to investigate. Rated for language.
1. Prolouge

Okay ... this is obviously the first chapter of the fic I'm posting while I try and get a working next chapter for Koalas and Whales. Everything is from Kakashi's point of view, if there's an exception I'll let you know. Story follows (somewhat) the plot of the book untill we get to the last fight in the land of the waves. That's when I take full reign. :laughs evily:

_'blahblah'_ Kakashi's thoughts

"blahblah" talking

_blahblah_ emphisis

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the charecters of Naruto.Some of the charectersmight/willbe OOC, 'cause I wrote this the way I like it thus the reason it's a fanfiction.

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**Chapter 1 **- Prolouge

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Kakashi sighed. He was standing in front of his assigned classroom. The classroom that held the one thing he had hoped to avoid for the rest of his life. Students. Fresh out of the Academy students. Students that didn't know a thing about being a shinobi. '_Students I'm never going to pass, so it's pointless to assign them to me. I told Sandaime not to assign anymore to me, unless he really wants them to fail, with crushed dreams to boot.'_ Another sigh left his mouth as he spotted the eraser wedged between the door and the wall. Looking at his list of students (a grand total of three) he identified the most probable culprit. '_Uzumaki Naruto. The fox kit.'_ Looking back down at the list he registered the other names in his brain before setting the piece of paper on fire. '_Uchiha Sasuke, and Haruno Sakura. The silent one and the brain. Oh joy.'_

For the three young adults in the classroom, it seemed that their assigned teacher was, put bluntly, an IDIOT. He didn't even avoid the simple test that Naruto had set up.

Even though he was expecting it, the falling eraser hurt more then Kakashi expected it to. Neither Naruto's laughter, or Sakura's obviously fake 'sorry' were enough to drowned out the mantra running through Kakashi's head. '_I'm going to kill the one responsible for that stupid, fucking eraser. I'm so going to kill …' _Fortunately for Naruto, he reigned in his urge to strangle the boy in time to get a good look at his three, unfortunate pupils.

Naruto was just getting over his laughter his blonde head thrown back and the whisker marks on his cheeks scrunched together, and seemed to find his teachers pain hilarious, but on a quick, closer inspection, his blue eyes didn't hold as much laughter as they should have if the laugh was genuine. His eyes said he felt more like chuckling at his teacher's stupidity, rather then huge guffaws he was currently letting out.

Sakura was still wringing her hands, and the pink head shaking, and repeatedly stating how sorry she was, and that she had tried to stop Naruto, and please forgive her and Sasuke, even though he had nothing to do with it… and so on and so on. Kakashi nearly did a double take when he looked at her green eyes. '_Was it my overactive imagination or was there another Sakura in her eyes. Yep. Defiantly another Sakura. Creeeeeepy.' _Another Sakura indeed. A Sakura who was in tears laughing at his misfortune of falling for Naruto's trap.

Last, there was Sasuke. He was sitting at a desk, looking over his hands at the scene playing out in front of him. Fingers interlocked in front of his face, hiding his lower face from view, but not his eyes, and the black hair didn't hide them either. Kakashi mentally raised his eyebrow at Sasuke's eyes. '_They're not at all what I've heard of. Black, cold, heartless, glaring eyes Uchiha Sasuke. I understand the glaring, he is an Uchiha, but I'd almost have to say he was laughing by the look of his eyes.' _

Kakashi came to several interesting conclusions about his assigned team in those few seconds. Simply put he found them a puzzle with in a puzzle. To know them you'd have to look underneath the underneath. They weren't apparently friends, but they couldn't have been described, simply, as anything but friends. They were too comfortable around each other to be acquaintances, but not comfortable enough to be friends. Yet, they weren't the kind of people that the others thought of as the not-quite-friend-but-not-acquaintance type. They all seemed to be hiding behind some sort of mask. Hiding something together almost, by the way they acted.

These observations raised some interesting questions for Kakashi. One – what were they to each other? Two – what are they hiding? And three – why are they hiding?

Kakashi chuckled, drawing the attention of all three. "Hmm … how shall I put this?" He rubbed his chin for emphasis. "Based on my first impression, I'd have to say … I hate you!"

Mentally he grinned at the sweat that appeared on their faces. '_Actually I don't hate you quite yet. You three intrigue me really. And I plan to unravel your secrets. Starting now.'_

_

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_

I had about seven friends read this, before I posted it. I gave it to Emi to proof read, then other people stole it from her, and by the end of the school day I had seven people telling me their opinions about it. A good friend of mine said she stuck in Harry Potter charecters to understand it (NarutoRon, SasukeHarry, SakuraHermione, Kakashi Snape). Most of my friends didn't have a clue who I was writing about, but they decided to just smile and nod.

Next chappy up soon! Review pwease!


	2. The Team

Wai! The second chappy is up!

_'blahblah'_ Kakashi's thoughts

"blahblah" talking

_blahblah_ emphisis

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the charecters of Naruto.Some of the charectersmight/willbe OOC, 'cause I wrote this the way I like it thus the reason it's a fanfiction.

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**Chapter 2 - **The Team

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Kakashi felt ready to scream, but he opted for mentally banging his head on a hard, VERY HARD, brick wall. 

He reviewed his day so far.

He'd woken up, had breakfast, and completed his normal morning routine.

He'd gone to the memorial and honored his fallen comrades.

He'd found out that he was assigned a genin team. That's when the day had started to go done the drain.

He'd met his team. Nothing too special … or so he'd thought. After that meeting he'd ended up with a lump on his head from the eraser and a big jumble of questions: what is his team trying to hide? Why? What are their real personas like? Do they really fight as much as they seem to? Should I even try and see if they pass?

Then he'd gone to the roof to have a little "get to know your teammates" time. He'd thought that through the simple ideas of favorite things, most hated things, dreams, hobbies, ambitions, and interests, he'd be able to find out more about them, and maybe piece together some of the puzzle behind them. Unfortunately, that plan failed. Miserably.

_**Flashback**_

_Kakashi had just finished explaining with the help of his let-me-talk-for-a-bit-and-pretend-to-give-you-information-about-myself-when-in-reality-I-only-telling-you-my-name speech (which they seemed a bit annoyed by, if Sakura's reaction had been any indication), to the three kids in front of him what it was he wanted them to do. Naruto went first._

_As the Kyuubi's vessel went through his list of things, Kakashi mentally sweatdropped. _'Great. I've been stuck with a kid that thinks about nothing but ramen. What did I do to deserve this?'_ He snapped out of his thoughts when Naruto's voice took on a determination that it was lacking before. _

"_My dream is to one day be a better shinobi than Lord Hokage! And then all the villagers will have to acknowledge my existence at last!"_

_Kakashi looked at the other two in the group. Sasuke hadn't changed his expression from his earlier glare, save for the raised eyebrow. Sakura had an expression of disbelief on her face, but her eyes held a pride that you'd expect to find in a mother whose child has just declared they … that they… click … that they will be the best at something. But both members of the team replaced their masks in a second. Yet all Kakashi needed was a second. _'Interesting, Sakura and Naruto at least are not the enemies that they lead you to believe. No enemy would show that much pride in a rival's dream. I want to learn more about this.'

_After Naruto finished, Sasuke started. Kakashi, his head drooping slightly, smirked at his response. _'Almost got the no-info-but-the-name speech down, kid.'_ His head snapped up when the feeling of chakra around him changed. No longer was it the cool, calm feeling that the three kids had been putting out before while everything was normal. Now, it was hot instead of cool, and had a violence about it that only comes with anger. _

_Sasuke's voice was cold as Kakashi listened to the last bit of his introduction, "There's someone I have sworn to kill."_

_Trying to gauge the reactions of Sakura and Naruto, Kakashi was disappointed to see that they both had turned their faces away from him and the shadows fell completely across both their faces, shielding them from Kakashi. Both were stiff, but that could have come from any number of reasons: fear, agreement, memories. The list went on and on. Yet, he still gained something from them. The chakra change was too intense to be only one person, it had to be at least two. _'So Sasuke isn't the only one who wants to kill someone. Damnit Kakashi. You spaced out and didn't hear what he said before that. Damn you. You're better then letting untrained children get the better of you.'

_It took a minute, but the chakra settled down, and Sakura started. Her's actually went along quite normally. No strange reactions, no flaring chakra. Nothing. Well, nothing if you didn't count her words. They all pertained to boys. Every last one of them. _'Damn, that was one of my last chances.'

_**End Flashback** _

They either suspected what he was trying to do, or they were damn good actors. Kakashi suspected that it was a little of both. None of them had backed down, either, when he told them about their work tomorrow.

Some of his colleagues would sugar coat the information that they gave their students. That was something Kakashi never did. He was of the opinion that a shinobi should never be babied. That could result in death. It was best that the future fighters of the Fire Country learned that lesson now, when it was less likely to matter, rather then when on a mission. If someone couldn't take the hard, cold truth, then they didn't deserve to pass, and Kakashi always made sure those graduates never passed under him no matter how talented they may be. His fellow jounin Kurenai and Asuma were of a similar mindset, if slightly less adamant.

'_Well, they passed the first test. You've still got a chance, kids. Tomorrow we'll see if you can pass the second test as a team.'_

As he handed out the instructions for the next part of the test, he observed the reactions of all three. Sasuke crumpled the paper without even looking at it, while both Sakura and Naruto looked it over. Of those two, Kakashi was surprised to find that it was Naruto that studied it and looked it over, while Sakura skimmed through it, then sat trembling. _'Must have concocted some wacky connection between this and her nonexistent love life. Heh.'_

After they all had their assignments, Kakashi poofed out in a puff of smoke, but he didn't go far. In fact, he only went over the side of the building. Using his chakra he concentrated on his feet and literally stuck to the wall. He stuck and listened.

"His chakra is moving away." That was Sasuke.

"Man, why do we have to do survival exercises?" Always the complainer, Naruto.

"He could just want to test our skills. That's the most probable reason." Logical and thought out seemed to be Sakura's choice when answering.

"Remember, you can't survive on your own." Sasuke's voice was more distant now, by the sound of his voice and that of the three's footsteps, they were moving to the stairs.

"Right. Oniisan made sure we knew that." Sakura's voice was descending. _'They must have reached the stairs. I didn't think Sakura had an older brother.'_

"Crap!"

"Naruto…" Warning was evident in Sakura's voice.

"Sorry, Sakura-chan, but I'm late."

"For what?"

"I promised Niisan that have ramen with him after classes today, and I'm already half an hour late."

"Then get going." One set of footsteps picked up and started running. "And tell him hi for us." Sakura had to yell the last part.

"I best get going, too, Sasuke-kun. See you tomorrow."

Another set of footsteps ran off. The last, Sasuke's, kept to the walk they'd been at the whole time. Kakashi was about to leave when he heard something that caught his attention. A chuckle. He listened. Another chuckle came, faint and getting fainter, but it clicked. Uchiha, the ice prince Sasuke, was laughing, and not the laugh that Kakashi would have expected from the boy. It was a nice laugh, sincere and happy even.

"I'm glad I know those two. I really am." The words were nearly lost to Kakashi since Sasuke was so far down the stairs, but he heard them, and they only served to increase his curiosity about the team he was assigned.

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To be continued ...

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That's all for this chappy! I hope to get the next one up in a week or two. 

Any guesses on who Naruto's 'Niisan' is?

You'll find out in chappy seven. An' I'm not gonna tell you till then

Review Please!

Shiko - _And you call others evil sadistic bastards._


	3. Teamwork

:stares at computer in shock:

The number of reviews ... :throws self at readers: ... I LOVE YOU!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the charecters of Naruto.Some of the charecters might/will be OOC, 'cause I wrote this the way I like it thus the reason it's a fanfiction.

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**Chapter 3 - **Teamwork

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Kakashi arrived to the practice field late the next day. He received identical glares from all three of his students, and both Sakura and Naruto yelled at him. _'They better get used to this, 'cause if they pass, it will be the norm.'_

He started the clock, and then announced the test. "This alarm is set to go off at noon. I've got two bells here. Your challenge is to steal these from me before the timer sounds. Anyone who fails doesn't get a lunch, and will be instead tied to a tree stump so I, or your teammates, can eat your lunch in front of you."

"But Kakashi-sensei, there are only two bells, so only two of us will get to eat." Sakura pointed out.

"The young lady catches on first. You're right Sakura, there aren't enough bells to go around, so one of you is defiantly headed for the stump, and that person will be the first of you to fail. At least one of you is on your way back to school … and disgrace. You may use weapons if you choose." He clipped the bells to his belt then as an afterthought said, "Strike to kill. That's the only way you'll even have a chance of passing."

"But sensei, that's dangerous."

"Yeah, I mean you couldn't even dodge an eraser. Not much of a shinobi if you ask me."

"The world on a shinobi is dangerous, Sakura. Now, forgetting the idiot, we'll start on my signal."

He seemed to have struck a cord in Naruto, for the boy grabbed a kunai and aimed for his sensei. Before he could even think about releasing the knife, Kakashi was behind him with one hand on the blond boy's head and the other forcing the hand with the kunai around to face the back of his neck.

"Hold it. I haven't said 'go' yet."

Kakashi grinned under his mask as he said his next words "At least you aimed to kill, so, it seems you've begun to respect me." He chuckled. "Maybe, just maybe, I'm starting to like you three. GO!"

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His team had eight minutes to go before noon, and none of them had gotten a bell yet. The boys had both been close, and would be eating if they had thought their strategies through a bit more. If Naruto had grabbed a bell instead of grabbing his teacher he would have gotten lunch. And Sasuke had, without the element of surprise, in the middle of a fight nearly grabbed one. So far, he hadn't faced off with Sakura but something told him to just let it be. He looked over to the lunches from his perch in a tree, and sighed. Naruto was over there trying to eat the lunches before noon. _'So much for passing as part of a team.'_

After Kakashi had finished tying Naruto to one of the stumps he looked at the clock. One minute left. _'Might as well just wait for them here. All of them showed promise in the field of fighting, but not working as a team could get them killed on a mission. Still, the day has a long way to go before it ends, and I don't have to report an anouncment on the pass or fail position of those three till eight o'clock. I think ... I thinkI'll give them another shot at showing me that they can work as a team, and pass.'_

The alarm sounded. A minute or so later both Sasuke and Sakura were seated on the ground on either side of Naruto.

"I have to say I'm disappointed in you three. None of you got a bell. But … that's not why you failed. I have other business to attend to so I'm leaving. I'll be gone for a couple of hours. I want to think about why you failed, and when I get back you'll have another go at passing. Sasuke, Sakura, you get the lunches. DON'T give Naruto any, and don't free him."

With that Kakashi disappeared in a puff of smoke. Yet, once again, he didn't go far, only to a tree out of his team's line of sight. He settled down to see what they would do.

"Naruto, you're an idiot." Sasuke's words were accompanied by the sound of a kunai slicing something. Kakashi decided that it would be safe to go to a nearer tree. Arriving safely, he looked down to see Naruto rummaging through the pack he brought. Sasuke was putting a kunai away, but Sakura was nowhere in sight. The lunches sat on the ground where he'd left them. _'So you think that you can just disobey my orders Sasuke? Even though this is what I wanted …... another reason I don't like taking on teams. Thinking about them always messes up my thoughts'_

Finding what he wanted Naruto turned to Sasuke, "Hand me the food will you?" And to Kakashi's surprise, Sasuke did. Sakura returned then with an armful of wood, which she set about arranging in shape that would make a nice fire. Not a long lasting fire, but one that would burn quickly, giving you just long enough to cook something, without adding extra wood. Surprisingly the arrangement was one taught to higher ranking jounin and anbu for missions. _'How'd she know that?'_

"Sasuke-kun light this will you?" She turned to the boy in question, and immediately had to jump out of the way as a burst of flame headed her way. "The wood, not me, baka!" She picked up and aimed a stone at Sasuke's head. Sasuke doged it easily.

Naruto chuckled as he brought over a bowl filled with … chicken and vegetables? Kakashi glanced over at the lunches, and sure enough the meat and vegetables that were on the side had disappeared. To the bowl, Naruto added a little water, covered it with a flat stone, and put it in the fire.

"Say Naruto-kun, what's the water for?" Sakura asked as she bit into an apple. She tossed one each to Naruto and Sasuke.

"Sakura-chan, I know, that you know that the lunches were about 50 times larger then usual," Naruto had to pause to swallow the chuck of apple he had just bitten off. "But even with that increase in size, for the three of us to all gain enough energy from the food in order to pass Kakashi-sensei's test we need to have a little more. By adding water to the food already here, I'm making a broth that will break down some of the vegetables, and will give us more food." Naruto smiled at Sakura's sheepish grin.

"Guess we know why Genki-san hired you to help at him in his old age." Sasuke was scooping rice from each lunch into a bowl that Kakashi guessed was from Naruto's pack. Two other bowl were sittingto the side withrice in them._'This is surprising, though not wholly unwanted. They're giving Naruto food even though I gave orders for them not to. I was surprised by Sasuke's disobedience when it came to freeing Naruto, but this ... Sakura hasn't said a word against it. I thought she was supposed to be the one who followed the rules.'_

"Guys, what are we going to tell Kakashi-sensei if he comes back during this?"

'_Now that's more like the Sakura I've heard about.'_

"We'll tell him the truth, Saka-chan. We're a team and as such, we look out for each other."

"Naruto's right. Your idea to work as a team during this 'test' was the best idea. Naruto and I were too stubborn to do it the first time, though."

'_So they did think about working as a team to pass. A few more points in their score. But take some of those away for not deciding to work together.' _The mental tally Kakashi had was getting confusing with all the scratched out marks.

Sakura smiled at her teammates. "You sound like my dad. 'Always look out for yourself, always follow the orders you're given, but never abandon a teammate, and when it comes to the welfare of those people, treat them the same way you would treat you family. When you're on a mission, they are your family.'" She paused."He would always say stuff like that." She sniffed and rubbed her eyes. Both Sasuke and Naruto's faces were sad as they looked at her.

"Your father was a great guy, Saka-chan. He was fun to be around, and always knew what to say to you. He was one of the few villagers to treat me like everyone else." Naruto wrapped his arms around his legs.

"He was the one that brought me to Hokage-sama after my family died. I never saw him tell a lie, it was always the cold, hard truth. But sometimes that's what you needed." Sasuke looked up at the sky.

"I miss him. I ... I never thought that something like that could happen. I always though he'd be there. He used to talk about how he would spoil his grandkids rotten, or take them to other countries for the day. But he ..." she chocked,"he can't now." Sakura broke down and started sobbing. Naruto lifted his head, and crawled over to her.

"Come on, Saka-chan, it's okay. You've still got your mom, and Iruka-sensei, and everyone else. Please don't cry, it's strange to see you cry. Please don't." Sakura's head was buried in Naruto's shoulder as she sobbed. Gradually the sobbinglessened until it was only a hiccup here and there.

Sasuke walked over to them and crouched down. He gently turned Sakura away from Naruto and towards himself. Sakura grabbed his shirt to keep her balance, and Sasuke lifted his arms to hold her. Turning to Naruto he spoke softly, "Go check the food. I put some water in another bowl to heat up. There's some coco powder next to the rice. A hot drink and some food would be the best thing … for all of us right now."

_'So they know how to work not only as a team on missions, but also as a team to comfort each other. I have to keep going underneath the underneath time and time again.'_

Naruto nodded, rubbed his eyes a couple of times, then went over to the fire and pulled out the bowl of stew. Then, after checking the other bowl, pulled that one out as well. He poured a third of the stew over each helping of rice, then brought them over to his teammates. Setting down the bowl, he nudged Sakura with one of the lunch containers. "Here. Eat. It might not be the best. But Sasuke's right, the hot food will help."

Sakura took the offered container, and Naruto handed Sasuke the other. Before he started eating, though, Naruto went to his pack and rummaged around some more, finally coming up with three tiny bowls that could serve as cups. Picking up the bowl of hot water in one hand, the small bowls in the other, and the bag of coco in his mouth, he walked back over to Sasuke and Sakura.

Sasuke took the bowls and started pouring hot water into the makeshift cups, while Naruto tried to open the bag of coco. The bag seemed to be winning the battle.

"Stupid plastic bag! Why the hell won't you open!"

Sakura gave Naruto a glare at his swearing before laughing. Kakashi had to admit that it was a funny sight. A ninja defeated by a plastic bag! Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Idiot. Are you a ninja or not?" He tapped said idiot on the head with a kunai.

"Ohhhhh … right." With an embarrassed smile, Naruto took the kunai and cut open the bag. He handed the now open bag to Sasuke, who poured some into each small bowl, then used one of his clean chopsticks to stir it in. He handed one to both Sakura and Naruto before taking a sip of his own.

The team ate the rest of the meal in silence, broken only at the beginning by Sasuke and Sakura complimenting Naruto on his cooking skills, then later when both Naruto and Sasuke demanding that Sakura finish her food. When she protested, Naruto got up and gave a sigh as he told Sasuke that it was such a shame that he'd have to feed Sakura mouth to mouth. Sakura gave a little scream at that, and immediately started to eat again. When she stopped again to breathe, andthe other two hadfinishedlaughing,they went back to eating.

Kakashi looked at the three of them and tried to put a name on the feel of the atmosphere. _'Friendly? Comfortable? Right? Natural? That fits. Natural. It seems natural for something like this to happen.'_

'_Still, should I pass them or no? None of them got a bell, and they disobeyed my direct orders about feeding and freeing Naruto. Yet that's what I wanted them to do. Team work is important and they defiantly understand the concept of teamwork. Almost too well for kids their age. I've seen and been part of teams that have been together for months and years, but never work this well together. They seemed to know exactly what needed to be done, and were able to separate the tasks without arguing in the slightest. They almost see to communicate without speaking. As if they've done this before, and many times at that. That's what I want in a team I have to lead. Still their willingness to immediately disobey orders is a bit disconcerting. But still it was to help their teammates. ... Hmmm ... Alright I've made my decision. Now all I need is the right moment. Dramatic things are so much better.'_

Kakashi looked back down at the three. All of them had finished eating, and Sasuke and Sakura were using the last of the warm water to clean and rinse the bowls. The water then was thrown over the fire, effectively putting it out. The cardboard boxes and wooden chopsticks that had been part of the lunches were stacked together in a pile, and, as he watched, Naruto took the now smoldering wood and ashes from the fire and placed them in the boxes. Picking them up, he quickly turned to Sasuke. He nodded to Naruto who threw the pile into the air, and Sasuke used his fire jutsu to burn them to ashes, which the wind picked up and carried away.

"When traveling in foreign lands, leave no trace of where you've been, for signs left by careless hands, spelt defeat for many men." Sakura quoted an old rhyme taught in the first years of ninja training at the Academy as she watched the ashes blow away.

"Kakashi-sensei said he'd be back in a couple of hours didn't he?" Naruto asked looking at the sky. "I'd say those hours have gone by."

'_Perfect.' _Kakashi moved, landing right behind Naruto.

"Interesting to see you free when I gave specific orders for you to not be released."

Whirling to face him, the three froze. Not one of the three spoke.

After a moment or two of not receiving an answer, Kakashi pressed them.

"Sasuke. Sakura. Why is Naruto free? I can also guess that he got food as well. I gave specific orders that he was to get no food, and not be released. Answer."

Both teens looked at their teacher, then at Naruto. Sakura answered. "Kakashi-sensei, it's my fault. I told Sasuke and Naruto about a lesson my father always drilled into my head."

"Sakura, I don't need to hear about your father. I want an answer." _'Besides, your lying.'_ Sakura didn't even flinch at the blatant blow Kakashi had struck her. _'Good girl, Sakura. Good girl.'_

"Shut up and listen to her, bastard. She's giving you your answer." Naruto apparently didn't like Kakashi's disrespect. _'Little too protective of a person who isn't supposed to be a friend, hmm, Naruto?'_

"Naruto, don't swear. Kakashi-sensei my father often told me things that he wanted ingrained in my mind. One of those things was along this line, 'One of the most important things a shinobi can do is protect themselves and follow any order that a leader gives them. But never in doing that abandon a teammate. Teammates are an extension of you, so treat them with the same care you treat your body.' He wanted me to learn in the same way he did. Sasuke was merely looking out for his teammate."

'_A plausible lie … if I hadn't been watching for the past couple of hours.'_

"Sasuke, Naruto. What do you say?"

Sasuke answered first. "We're a team, sir. A mission for shinobi of our level would be given to a team. To complete the mission, you wouldwork as a team, not individualy."

Nodding, Naruto added his two cents. "That's right, and even if you reach a level where you are assigned solo missions, you'd still have to work as a team on those, too. Your whole village is your team. If someone doesn't work with others, they'll find it difficult to complete the mission of life we're given at birth."

_'That's quite deep Naruto. I wonder if the others were wrong about you and your, quote, "stupidity."'_

Sakura stepped in. "That's one of the reasons traitors are put to death once they've been convicted of their crime. If your hand or leg was a threat to the rest of your body, you wouldn't keep that limb."

'_These kids know more about teamwork then most adult ninjas I know. Very good, very good.'_

Kakashi looked at his students. All three of them looked at their teacher, their eyes telling Kakashi that none of them thought one way or the other about their status of passing or failing. _'They're not going to be upset if they pass or if they fail. Whatever happens happens. If they pass they pass. If not, then not. Smart, but not in all situations. You three still have a ways to go.'_

"You three disobeyed my direct orders. That can get you killed in a mission."

"We know, sir." Sasuke's voice was emotionless.

"Do you? All three of you have a long way to go to become ninja. All of you have exelent fighting skills, but that doesn't make you a ninja. That only makes you a person who knows how to fight. Do you really think that only being able to fight well would get you through missions where people are out to kill you? In missions where you watch your teammates die? Do you think being able to fight will make you into a person who can fufill their every dream? Do you think it will help you when you have to kill an old friend or family member who turned traitor?" He trailed off at his team's faces.

Their masks were up. Not one flicker of emotion from any of them. Naruto's head dropped so he was looking at the ground, but no emotion flickered in his face or eyes. Kakashi remembered Naruto's dream of becoming Hokage. Kakashi sighed, and smiled to himself.

"I have only one desision to make. I don't have another choice."

All three turned their heads away slightly.

"You three pass. With flying colors."

Suprise was a winderful thing. All three hadwide eyes, and varying degrees of open mouths.Oh yeah. Kakashi really like messing with people's minds. Hell, he fucking loved messing with anybody's mind. _'But they're my team now, soI have to explain'_

"You three were right about teamwork. You found what was underneath the underneath. A shinobi who doesn't follow orders is one of the lowest of the low. But a shinobi who doesn't help and care for his fellow shinobi is even lower then that. I've never seen a single group that has come to me work so well together, and so thoroughly understand the basics of team work. Heck, not just the basics, you three understand more then half the adult shinobi I know."

"It's thanks to our teachers, sensei." Sakura gave a small smile. _'Teachers? Who?'_

Turning to her, Kakshi apologized "I'm sorry for the sharp reply earlier. Your father was a wise man to have taught you such things." Sakura smile turned sad.

Looking back at the rest of the team, Kakashi smiled under his mask. "Let's go see who else passed, and get you up on the list as well."

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To be continued ...

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Anyone catch the Harry Potter refrance? 

Sorry for the wait ... :hides in corner:

Please Review!


	4. Teammates

Ummm ...

**Disclaimer** - Narutoandnoneofthecharectersinitbelongtome

:runs and hides:

Shiko - just read the darn chapter. :goes to look for Bara:

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**Chapter 4 - **Teammates

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Outside the Academy the newly formed Team Seven met up with two of the other teams. Seeing the instructors Kakashi grinned. One of them,the female, seemedto have decided that bandages were the new fassion in Kohana, sinceshe was wearing them wrapped above a fishnet shirt and a pair of shorts. The brown hair fell to her sholders. Themale was wearing the standard wear of most joinins, same as Kakashi. Dark blue sandles, pants, and shirt, with the forest green vest on top. His brown hair was cropped and the ever-present cigarret was hanging from their mouth. 

The mummy wrapped woman instructor, Kurenai, was walking behind two of the boys and one of the two girls. One of the boys had short spiky brown hair and was wearing sunglasses. You couldn't tell the hair color of the other boy since he had on what looked like a parka, with a little brown dog's head sticking out the front. The red triangles stretching down from below his eyes to end in points a little above his jaw reminded Kakashi of Naruto's whisker marks. While her two teammates seem full of confidence the young girl in the group seemed very, VERY shy. Her white, pupulis eyes downcast, and her black hair hanging about her face. She raised a tentative hand in greeting to cell seven.

The male instructor, Asuma, seemed to be in charge of two boys and a girl as well. One of the boys was munching out of a paper bag, the swirls on his chubby cheeks reminding Kakashi even more of Naruto's whiskers. The second boy was walking slightly behind the rest, as if he was in no rush. He seemed full of a content lazyness, though he wouldn't hesitate to fight if needed. The girl had long white-blond hair pulled back in a ponytail, and her blue eyes were, like the shyer girl, were pupiless.

"Ino!" Sakura ran up to the girl in Asuma's cell, and pulled her aside. They began conversing. Almost immeadiatly Ino stalked over to the girl in Kurenai's cell and dragged her over to the side where Sakura was waiting. Ino seemed to be muttering something along the lines of "stupid Sakura … can't believe she didn't drag Hinata over to hear this as well … got to pound it in … COME ON, Hinata!"

Giving a short guffaw Asuma called out to Kakashi "Your kids seem happy. Did Hatake Kakashi fail another group this year?"

"No."

"What! You actually took a team?" Asuma raised a hand to stop Kakashi from answering, and yelled over at the pudgy boy on his cell "Choji, that's you fifth bag of cookies today!" Waving to the lazy boy that was now watching the clouds drift across the twilight sky Asuma said, "Share some with Shikamaru why don't you!"

Turning to Kakashi as if nothing had happened he pressed for an answer.

"So?"

"Yes. The two of you?"

"Surprisingly, yes. For both of us." Kurenai grinned at Kakashi then yelled over to her cell, "Come on boys! I don't have all night! Shino, get over here! Collect your bugs and get you ass in gear!"

"This will come as a surprise to the people we report to. I like it."

"You're a sadistic bastard, aren't you, sir?" The parka boy was smirking at Kakashi.

"I try."

Kureinai spoke up, "Don't listen to him Kiba, he doesn't even need to try anymore. By now it's natural."

-------

"Cells seven, eight, and ten reporting in." One of the Academy instructors on duty announced. The rest of the teachers scattered about the classroom looked up. Upon seeing who the instructors of the cells were they gave the nine kids small smiles meant to comfort. All did this except two, Kakashi noted.

One of them was the Hokage. He had on his I'm-not-going-to-even-try-and-guess-what-happened look on his face.

The other was a chunnin who seemed to have been talking with the Hokage before the cells arrived. Ordinary enough. The only thing that would set him apart was the scar running across the bridge of his nose and the hair pulled up into a bushy ponytail. He was smiling widely at the nine kids. Or smiling as wide as the bandages on his face would let him.

Giving a sigh of what sounded like disappointment, the woman who had announced them stated, "Instructors tell us you name, the name of your students, and who, if any, passed."

Kurenai went first. "Yuhi Kurenai, instructor for cell number eight consisting of Inuzuka Kiba, Aburame Shino, and Hyuga Hinata. All three of my students passed."

The woman smiled at Kurenai's students "Congradulations, genins of Team Eight. Next."

Asuma stepped up. "Sarutobi Asuma, instructor for cell number ten consisting of Nara Shikamaru, Akimichi Choji, and Yamanaka Ino. All three of my students also passed."

Surprise was evident around the room. Kakshi heard whispers travel around the room.

"Wow. Both Kurenai and Asuma passed their teams."

"They were more likely to pass

"Yeah, but there's no way Kakashi will pass his team. I mean he's got the fox."

"Maybe the Uchiha and Haruno can get them through. Those two were top of their class."

"Not with Hatake Kakashi. He doesn't pass anyone."

"Iruka seems pretty confident though."

Kakshi inwardly smiled. _'What a surprise your in for.'_

The woman announcing seemed to have gotten over her momentary shock, and smiled at the three new genins in Asuma's team. "Congradulations, genins of Team Ten. Last."

Kakashi stepped up. "Hatake Kakashi, instructor for cell number seven consisting of Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura, and Uzumaki Naruto." He paused as the teachers mumbled about how it was such a shame that the talents of Sasuke and Sakura wouldn't be put to use as a genin team. "All three of my students passed."

Dead silence. No one moved or spoke. Kakashi looked up at the Hokage and the man next to him, who he guessed to be the Iruka the other teachers had mentioned before. Both were grinning, the Hokage around his pipe, and Iruka broadly.

Miss Announcer fumbled for words. "Well … umm … Congradulations, genins of Team Seven. Umm … wow."

Silence again. A few seconds passed before Iruka broke the growing silence. "Great job. You nine are the only ones to pass on to genin level."

All nine looked over to him as he came down to the front. All of them were grinning, ranging from the small smile from Hyuga Hinata to Naruto's grin that took up half his face. As soon as Iruka stopped moving, Naruto glomped him around the waist, though he let go rather quickly as the teacher flinched and let out a grunt of pain. Naruto settled for bouncing up and down. "Iruka-sensei, I did it! I did it!"

The rest of the new genin boys simled or grinned while thegirlsand Irukalaughed. Looking around at the new genins Iruka's face crinkled in a smile. "Anyone up for ramen?"

A loud chorus of "YES!" followed the question.

"Then we had better get going. Oh, and Naruto, Choji … try not to go to overboard. There are eight other people, and I don't want to end up broke."

Two mock sighs followed this statement and a lot of laughs followed the sighs as the group made it's way out the door and down the street.

Kakashi, Asuma, and Kurenai turned back to the room of teachers who still had yet to say a word.

Sandaime walked up to the three new genin instructors. "Seems those kids have gotten you three off your lazy asses, huh?"

Asuma just snorted and lit a cigarette. Kurenai giggled, "Hokage-sama, Asuma and I've had teams before. Kakashi's the one who's taken a team for the first time."

Folding his arms like a child, Kakashi pouted (though no one saw it through the mask)in Kurenai's direction "Neither you or Asuma have taken a team in a couple of years. Besides, it's not my fault that no one up till now has been any good at teamwork."

Asuma rolled his eyes, "Kakashi, it's not that the teams haven't been good at teamwork, it's the fact that you're too lazy to even want to take a team, so you made your standards near impossible to achieve. I have other business, so if you don't mind, I'll take my leave. Hokage-sama." He bowed and left.

"He's right. I think I'll take his example and leave as well. These teachers are giving me the creeps." Kurenai glanced around the still dead silent room before also bowing and leaving.

"Hokage-sama?"

"Yes, Kakashi?"

"Can I talk to you alone, please?"

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To be continued...

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yeah I'm alive. Sorry I haven't posted this sooner ... it's just that life has kinda sucked for the past ... what? ... weeks? I just haven't had time to get on a computer for more then a few minutes at a time. But I have a couple of days free now so I'm hoping to post a couple of chapters, including this one.

For the those of you who couldn't read the disclaimer it said 'Naruto and none of the charecters in it belong to me'

Read and Review please!

:goes off to work on the next chapter:


	5. Talking to the Hokage

Hey! I'm actually getting this chapter up not long after the previous one. Go me!

The next few chapters might be a little boring and I apologize in advance for that. Right now I have to set up that Kakashi's team has secrets and for the most part they deal with interogations. If it's dull I'm sorry, and believe me I know just please bear with me it will help set up things that come up later in the story.

Oh before I forget, I've gotten a couple of comments asking if this fic is AU. It is. I actually came up with the ideas after reading the story _A Different Perspective_ by _Book of Changes. _I love that fic and really recomend it to people that like Nartuo AU stories. I didn't take my story off of that one, it just got me started thinking about how things could have been different, and then what was the childhood like for the charecter and the story just started writing itself.

_Family _follows the manga up to the point where they enter the Land of the Waves, I really take over there.But for the most part anything before that that doesn't apear in the manga is me filling in the blanks my own way. The time line of this story is really different, and I'll try to explain that as it goes. Sorry if I forgot to mention that earlier.

**Disclaimer -** Look up the definition of **_FAN_**fiction and you'll know I don't own any of the charecters.

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**Chapter 5 -** Talking to the Hokage

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"Kakashi, you've dragged me to the top of the Hokage Mt. If you're worried about privacy, I think you're safe." 

"My apologies, Hokage-sama. Might I ask you some questions about the three kids I've taken on in my genin team?"

"You may ask, Kakashi, but I don't know if I can answer them all, for I am probably not the best person to ask."

"I don't understand."

Sandaime turned away from Kakashi and walked to the railing at the edge of the mountain. "Kakashi, do you see all the lights down there?" He said waving his pipe to indicate the street lights and lights coming from inside buildings.

Kakashi walked over and leaned against the railing, feeling very much like he had when he first started at the Academy. "Yeah."

"Let us say that each one of those lights represented one of my responsibilities. The smaller lights being the individuals of Konoha, and the larger being the other duties of the Hokage."

"Uh-huh." Kakshi had no idea where this was going.

"The larger lights I can tell you about with ease as they represent some of the duties of the Hokage. Like that one over there." He waved to the right where a light with a yellow hue was. "That's the Academy, which might represent my responsibility to the next generation of ninja. Or that one." He waved to a bright blue tinted light to the left. "That's the hospital. That might represent my duty to see that all the ninja in my care are properly looked after." Placing his pipe back in his mouth, Sandaime frowned. "But, Kakashi, what about the rest of the lights? The ones coming from homes and businesses."

Kakashi looked at his leader and was surprised to see sadness on his face. "Sir?"

"Kakashi, I can't tell you squat about most of those. They represent the people, ninja and citizen, which I'm supposed to protect. Sure, there are some I could point out, like over there." Waving to a very fait light twinkling by itself on the edge of town he said, "That's the Uchiha property. Sasuke's the only one living there now. But the rest of the town…" He sighed. "For someone like me, Kakashi, it's just a mess of lights."

"If it makes you feel any better, I see that same mess of lights."

"That's what I'm talking about Kakashi. Most of the people in Konoha village would only see a mess of lights. But," Raising a finger, Sandaime pointed again to the yellow glow from the Academy. "The teachers in there, they would be able to map those lights. If you asked them what a light was, they would be more likely to tell you who lives or works there then I would."

Kakashi just stared at the Hokage, waiting for him to explain.

Rolling his eyes, Sandaime continued, "What I'm trying to say is, I'll tell you what I can, but I won't be able to answer everything. If you're not satisfied with my answers, then I suggest you take your questions to an Academy teacher."

"You saying they know more then you?" Kakshi teased.

"Yes. That's exactly what I'm saying. Especially when it comes to the matter of everyday life. Kakashi, if there was a test on jutsus and fighting skill, it is nearly a given that you and I and all the jounin and anbu in this village could beat the teachers of the Academy, hands down. But if it were a test on what to say to a child who has just lost their family, how to make a group of pranksters behave, or even something as simple as how to get a child to smile …" Sandaime paused to think on how he should state this next part. "You and I, and most of the jounin, chunin, and anbu not involved in the Academy … all of us, wouldn't have a chance against the teachers at the Academy. That's their home ground, and it's what they go through everyday." Once he finished talking Sandaime turned and transferred his gaze to the lights of his beloved Konoha.

Kakashi was silent for a good many minutes, mulling over what the Hokage had just said. He looked for hidden messages or meanings, yet found only, _'_'We may think ourselves the best because we surpass others at jutsus and the ability to kill, but those who work with the children at the Academy surpass us on more important levels.'_ I've never looked at it that way before.'_

"Hokage-sama, I think I understand what you're saying, but I'd still like to ask you some questions. The first one is what teacher should I go to if I want more answers?"

"Umino Iruka."

"Why?"

"He's reached the two kids that no one else could."

"Who?"

"Uchiha Sasuke, and Uzumaki Naruto."

"How is that he could reach them and nobody else could?"

"Sasuke's brother Itachi is a few years younger then Iruka, and it is my understanding that Itachi trusted Iruka with the care of Sasuke when neither he or his parents were home to care for him. After the massacre, it makes sense that Sasuke eventually opened up to the person he'd learned to trust. With Naruto, Iruka likely understood him better then others, since Iruka himself was orphaned when the Kyuubi attacked the village. That and almost no one else even bothered trying. One other ninja did, and he got through."

"Two this time. Who was the other ninja? And why would Iruka try and help the person who holds his parents murderer?"

"To your second question, I don't know the answer. For that I can only guess that it is because Iruka has always been a kind person, especially to children. To your other question, the man who also got through Naruto's defense was a jounin named Haruno Kuto."

"He related to Haruno Sakura?"

"Yes. Father, I believe."

'A possible explanation for Sakura and Naruto's we-know-each-other-much-better-then-we-let-on act.'

"Do know what the relationship between the members of my team is?"

"Socially, I want to say that Sakura likes Sasuke, Naruto likes Sakura, and the rest of the connections are dislike and hate. But on a personal level, I truly haven't a clue."

'_So he also noticed their seeming act.'_

"How would Sakura know an anbu campfire arangment?"

At this Sandaime looked surprised, "She does?"

"Yes"

"Interesting."

"Do either Naruto or Sakura have any siblings? Older or younger?"

"Mmm … Not that I'm aware of."

"What's the relationship between Umino Iruka and my team?"

"I'm not to sure about the other two, but I do know that Naruto is like a little brother to Iruka."

"Anything else you can tell me on any of them?"

"Kakashi, now you're getting into the really personal area. I'll tell you this, and then I'm going. All people have secrets, and I wouldn't be surprised if these four turn up more then anyone else. Now, if you want more information, I suggest you get it from Iruka. Good night." Sandaime turned and started the walk back down to the village.

"One last question, sir."

Sandaime stopped and turned. "Hmmm?"

"Why did Iruka have bandages on his face?"

"He was injured."

Kakshi twitched at the obvious answer. "Might I inquire as to how he was injured?"

"He was injured defending his only family member from a person he thought was his friend. Now, I really must leave Kakashi. Good night."

"Good night, Hokage-sama."

'_Every time I try and learn about my team I come up with more and more questions, and more then half of those questions lead to more questions.'_

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To be continued ...

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'kay that's the end of this chappy. Like I said at the top the next like three chapters are 'interogations' of Iruka by Kakashi. I'm hoping to post them all together as they really should be one chapter but that's like ten pages. I'm still in the prosses of editing and touching them up so it might be a while before the next post. But after that you'll have three maybe four chapters to read. :smile: 

Review please!


	6. Conversations with a teacher : Part One

AHHHHHHH! Do you know how frusterating this has been!

Shiko: no they don't. They're not you, idiot.

Bara: I HATE HATE HATE HATE my computer. I swear to any higher power that's listening that I haven't posted because my stupid F#$&ing computer wouldn't let me access this chapter. I'm posting this from school.

Shiko: Breathe.

Bara:takes deep breath: Okay, I'm good.

Sorry I haven't answered or replyed to any reviews asking me to update, I've barely had time to read them, but THANK YOU very much. It's very encoureging to know that people want to read more of this. So on with the fic!

Disclaimer - Don't own nothing about Naruto. I just own the plot.

_

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_

**Chapter 6 - **Conversations with a Teacher : Part One_

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_

_-Thunk-_

A kunai planted itself in the tree a couple of inches from Kakashi's face. Kakashi grimaced. _'Damn, spacing out again.'_

"Kakashi-san, please get out of the tree. You've been following me for the past three months. I can't keep pretending you're not there."

Deciding it wouldn't be a good idea to get him angry (or at least any angrier then he already was) Kakashi swung out of the tree and fell in step with the annoyed teacher.

They walked in silence for a while.

"Hatake-san?"

"Mmm-hmmm?"

"I'm sorry for my rudeness earlier. I had no right to take my frustration out on you."

"No problem, Iruka. Hard day at the Academy?"

"Not any worse then when Naruto was there."

"Then why so stressed?"

Iruka raised an eyebrow at the jounin. "When is the teacher of hyper-untrained-ninja-children-who-carry-sharp-pointy-objects-on-their-persons not stressed?"

"Point."

Silence settled over the two again.

"Hatake-san?"

"Sensei, we're both mature adults. My name isn't Hatake, it's Kakashi. Hatake-san makes me sound old. Hell, I don't even let my students call me 'Hatake-san'."

Kakashi received a glare from the teacher for swearing. "Fine. Kakashi-san, then. Why have you been _stalking _me?" Kakashi noted the emphasis on 'stalking'.

"I haven't been _stalking _you."

"Then what do you call it?"

"Follo…errrr. Observing. Gathering information."

Iruka didn't look impressed.

Kakashi sighed. "Actually, I've been wanting to talk to you about my team."

"Oh?" Iruka looked thoughtful. "Well, we're nearly at my house, why don't we talk over some tea?"

"Sounds fine."

---------

When Iruka opened the side door of his house, Kakashi found that it opened on to a small entrance way. Along the wall on the left of the door was a row of hooks, on one of which Iruka placed his vest before slipping out of his shoes. He placed them neatly along one of the walls before climbing the few stairs to the rest of the house, motioning Kakashi to follow his example. Looking through a smaller room at the top of the stairs –_'likely a study, from the number of books in it'_ – Kakashi could see a set of steps leading to the second floor, which likely contained any bedrooms and personal rooms of the house.

Turning around the corner to follow Iruka, Kakashi's sight was immediately drawn to the picture window in the living room. Outside of the window stood two trees, their branches intertwined above the window, creating a beautiful frame. The one on the left was an old maple tree it's branches full of unopened leaf buds. On the right stood a sakura tree, which was in the stage just after it bloomed. Some of the first fallen flowers had settled on a worn stone path that led around the pond in the center of the yard. Flashes of golden-orange and white told Kakashi that koi fish lived in the water.

A low, stone wall ran along the left side of the yard facing the forest, but that melded into a high wooden fence facing the neighbors on the right side. Climbing the fence was ivy, and the gardens below the fence were just starting to show the first of their summer colors. The land along the stonewall, however, was wild. It had been left to grow as it pleased, allowing the forest to start taking it over, and in places you couldn't see the wall for the overgrowth. Behind it, you could see the forest, and Kakashi could only guess the number of animals one might see from the bench under the trees.

One side of the yard was a complete opposite from the other. The right was well maintained and cared for, while the left was allowed to run uncut with no fear of interruption for human hands. Near polar opposites, but they still melted together wonderfully in the middle.

Iruka noticed his guests' examination, and laughed softly as he came to stand by Kakashi in front of the window. "My parents used to call it the Garden of Life as a joke, since it was filled with so many memories of their life. They loved telling people the story, and now I keep on telling. Care to hear?"

Kakashi's visible eye curved to show his interest. Iruka grinned, "When they were kids they met through helping out the old man who lived here. He told them once to take his backyard and do what they would with it. My mother took the left side and my father took the right. It took them three summers to finish the stone wall and wooden fence. When they finished that they transplanted the maple and the sakura trees from each of their yards. The next summer my dad asked my mom out on her fifteenth birthday. Ojiisan, as they'd come to call the old man, was delighted to hear that they were in love. They came over more and more frequently to work on their gardens. After they had finished planting most of the yard, Ojiisan suggested that they put in a little pond, with some koifish. They did.

"About four years after their first date my father proposed to my mom while they were sitting next to the pond. With Ojiisan's permission, they held their wedding in this garden, under the blooming sakura tree. They laughed at Ojiisan's wedding present, a trowel and a rake.

"Two years after that, my parents found out that my mom was pregnant, with me. The news arrived when they were talking to Ojiisan in the garden. Ojiisan smiled, and gave them their real wedding gift; this house. They said he had said that he wasn't going to last much longer, and it would be a shame to leave the house and garden to someone who wouldn't care for the garden as they did. He died a week after I was born. My mom found him dead on the bench near the pond when she came home from work one day. She said she thought at first he was resting like he always did, with me asleep in his arms. It wasn't until she came to wake us up that she realized he was gone. She always said that his last moments in life must have been his happiest; for his smile was one of the largest she'd ever seen. He'd never had children of his own, since his wife died a few years after their marriage, and he'd never remarried. Dad told me that Ojiisan said he'd found his children in my mom and dad, and had died with his grandson, me, in his arms. Ojiisan was buried between the two trees that he's watched grow alongside his children. I grew up in this garden, filling it with even more memories for my parents," Iruka paused, smiling. "And for myself. My dad set up dummies in the center and helped me practice my ninjutsu. Mom taught me to paint out there, and it's always been a safe haven for me. After the Kyuubi's attack, Sandaime and a couple of my parents close friends helped me to bury the bodies of my parents under their partners tree. My father lies beneath the maple, my mother beneath the sakura, with Ojiisan between them." Iruka stopped talking at this point.

"And so it ends?" Kakashi questioned, wanting more information, but not wanting to be rude.

"No, a story never really ends you know. It just has a different tone added to it. After the attack from the Kyuubi, I came here more and more. I came to talk to my parents and to the grandfather I can't remember. I'd come and keep my dad's flowerbeds in good condition, weeding and replanting. I added my own touches. But it was later that the garden actually became a garden again." He smiled a Kakashi. "You know, a garden isn't really a garden without love and laughter in it."

"When did it become a garden again?"

"When Naruto found it."

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to be continued ...

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There's the chapter. Please don't hurt me for rambling, 'cause I know i did that. 

It was brought to my attention that spacing doesn't always work in the chapters. If anyone else is being annoyed by that I'm sorry. I try to go through and get rid of any errors that may pop up, but I'm sure more sneak by. I'm really sorry.

Thank you to everyone who's reviewed,or added this fic/me to any alertsor communities.

On that note, to those of you who have added this to your communities, I've gone and look at the communitesit's in and thank you.I noticed that some ofyou don't want to put any yaoi (slash) fics in, so just as awarning ... yaoi might end up finding it's way into this fic. I have to admit I am a yaoi fangirl but I'm really trying to stear clear of any hint of romance (herterosexual or homosexual) between main charecters, but I near garentee that it will slip in as I'm writting. I hope this won't push anyone away, but for any annoyance in the future, I'm sorry and I'm trying to avoid ruining the fic by putting in badly written romance of any kind.

Also, this hasn't happened but please don't write long reviews in another language. I speak English as my first language. I know some Spanish, like three words of French and German witha dash of Japense but not enough to read long reviews written in those laguages. Writting short simple reviewsIshould be able to handle, so please give me the courtesy of writing longer reviews in the laguage I know best, English. I want to be able to read and understand the reviews!

Thank you! Now hit the review button and leave me a message.


	7. Notice

Thought I might as well put in one big announcement here for those of you who haven't read my profile.

I will not be updating Family any more. I realized that some of the things I'm planning to write about do not fit in the plot of Family. So I will be creating a new story called Family Ties. It's the revised/rewritten version of Family.

The first few chapters will be mostly the same, with some minor changes, but hopefully I'll be able to get up more chapters quicker due to this.

I plan to delete Family by Christmas 2006, but if anyone really wants me to leave it up, tell me and I will.

Sank-you!

Bara


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